The AIA Housing and Custom Residential Knowledge Community established this awards program to emphasize the importance of good housing as a necessity of life, a sanctuary for the human spirit, and a valuable national resource. The categories are (1) One- and Two-Family Custom Residences, (2) One- and Two-Family Production Homes, (3) Multifamily Housing, and (4) Specialized Housing. View all 2012 AIA Awards Recipients.

The Carmel Residence, in Carmel by the Sea, California, is one of ten projects recognized by the 2012 AIA Housing Awards. Photo: Courtesy AIA

Category One: One and Two Family Custom Residences--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Carmel ResidenceA 2,500 square-foot residence located on a steep site in Carmel by the Sea, Calif., required added privacy and protection from strong sea winds while remaining open to dramatic ocean views. A precise refinement of the existing volume maximizes the unused breadth of the home and views of the Pacific.

Hampden Lane HouseEdgemoore is an affluent neighborhood in Bethesda, Md., a suburb bordering northwest Washington, D.C. Mature trees and gardens line the streets of this neighborhood which is within walking distance of downtown Bethesda.

NakahouseThis project is an abstract remodel of a 1960s hillside house located on a west-facing ridge in the Hollywood Hills, Calif., just below the Hollywood sign. To the south and west are canyon views; to the east is a protected natural ravine, with a view of Griffith Park Observatory in the distance.

The PierreConceived as a bunker nestled into the rock, the Pierre—French for stone—celebrates the materiality of the site and the owner’s affection for a stone outcropping on her property. With its rough materiality, which encompasses stone, green roof, and surrounding foliage, the house disappears into nature from certain angles.

Relic RockRelic Rock is designed with a simple, flexible, sustainable prototype building system that is adaptable to a broad range of different climates and terrains. This prototype architectural solution sits lightly on the land, with cantilevered floors that minimize site disruption. A distinctive connection to nature is achieved by dissolving the division of interior and exterior space.

Category Two: One and Two Family Production Homes--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Live Work HomeWinner of the “From the Ground Up” Competition, this LEED-Platinum-certified home considers the longevity and livelihood of the Near West Side of Syracuse, N.Y., a shrinking city affected by the migration of significant industry throughout the 20th century. Today, the neighborhood faces high unemployment rates and lacks space for creative industry. Affordable housing alone does not respond to the needs of the neighborhood; its vitality as a community is a question of sustaining livelihoods and the social diversity.

Category Three: Multifamily Housing--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Drs. Julian and Raye Richardson ApartmentsIn the heart of San Francisco, this mixed-use SRO building provides 120 permanent, supportive studio apartments for very-low-income, formerly homeless residents, many with mental and physical disabilities. The five-story sustainable infill development remediates the site of a collapsed freeway with green homes, street improvements, and neighborhood-serving retail.

Category Four: Specialized Housing--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Jesuit Community CenterA community of Jesuits required a home and a center for their religious mission. The architecture reflects their commitment to simplicity, spirituality, and intellectualism. Aware of their role as teachers and spiritual guides, the Jesuits sought a building that would serve as an exemplar of ecological architecture.

McMurtry & Duncan CollegesThe project is designed in the collegiate quadrangle tradition. Seven buildings, totaling 275,800 square feet, are woven together with shaded arcades and existing tree-lined walks into a sensitive historic corner of campus. Together, they create a careful composition and hierarchy of buildings and spaces, in keeping with the order of the original campus plan by [Ralph Adams] Cram, Foodhue & Ferguson. The result is an example of designers working within historic context yet reinterpreting the vocabulary in a contemporary and sustainable way.